


Road work ahead?

by FriendlyNeighbourhoodWriter



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, Just Cute Stuff, M/M, One Shot, Teasing, not my OC, sixty is called caleb
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:13:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25597087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FriendlyNeighbourhoodWriter/pseuds/FriendlyNeighbourhoodWriter
Summary: When a teammate dares Caleb to do an obstacle course blindfolded, his pride won't let him say no.It goes about as well as expected. Thankfully, there's a kind Captain to drive him home.
Relationships: Captain Allen/CyberLife Tower Connor | RK800-60
Comments: 8
Kudos: 17





	Road work ahead?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CipherLife60](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CipherLife60/gifts).



> Written for the birthday of my dearest Cipherlife60 <3

“You’ve got all these... _special_ features, right?” 

“I am Cyberlife's most advanced prototype, if that’s what you mean.” 

“I thought your brother was the most advanced prototype.” 

“Okay first,” Caleb pushes the door open, letting his squad member get out first. “Nines is not my brother. Just because we look alike doesn’t make us related. And second-” He steps outside himself as well. “He’s not a prototype. If the revolution hadn’t happened, he would have been mass-produced, just like every other model.” 

“Okay jeez.” Lois says, looking out over the parkour course they trained on today. “Sensitive topic, got it. But-” She continues before Caleb can argue that it isn’t a _sensitive topic_ at all. “You do have special features and shit.” 

Not the way Caleb would describe it but- “Correct.” 

Lois hums, throwing her braided hair back and not explaining why she asked the question. It only takes a few seconds before Caleb is annoyed enough to speak up. 

“Why?” 

“Okay, if you were in, for example, a room filled with smoke, and you couldn’t see shit, would you be able to get out without sight?” 

Caleb huffs. “Of course.” 

A tiny smile appears on Lois’s face, and Caleb just knows this isn’t going to end well. 

“So, would you able to complete an obstacle course blindfolded?” 

“Yes.” He answers before truly thinking about it and Lois’s expression almost makes him regret it. 

Almost. 

“Great.” Lois turns to him, eyes bright. “Let’s do this one.” 

Caleb ignores her look and instead chooses to scan the course that lies in front of them. They’ve never trained here before today, part of Captain Allen’s plan to make them more accommodated to unfamiliar terrain, which led them to this particular trail. 

Caleb has never trained on something like this before, a course that is suspended above a huge lake, with only about twelve percent on land. Of course, he nailed it in the first try. 

Sort of. 

“And why,” He slowly says. “Would I do that?” 

“Because I want to see you do it.” A beat. “Or are you scared?” 

Caleb snorts, rolling his eyes. “How old are you again?” 

Lois shrugs. “It’s okay if you don’t want to do it. Wouldn’t want your hair to get wet.” 

“I’m not going to fall in the water.” 

“Sure.” She picks up her bag and starts walking towards the cars. There’s only two left; Lois’s and Captain Allen’s. The rest of the team has already left, ready to enjoy their days off. Caleb wasn’t in such a hurry, there isn’t much at home for him anyway. 

He watches Lois’s back for a second before sighing. “Fine.” 

She immediately turns around, expression carefully shielded, one eyebrow raised. 

“If only to show you how wrong you are.”

* * *

“Alright, can you see anything?” 

Yes, he can. His optical units can make out every fiber and material used in the scarf that’s currently tied around Caleb’s eyes. He can tell the intensity of the light and how they affect every color used in the dyed cotton. If he focusses hard enough, he can even scan Lois’s fingerprints. 

Knowing that this isn’t what Lois meant, however, he chooses not to mention any of that. “No.” 

“How many fingers am I holding up?” 

This is ridiculous, Caleb thinks, and he resists the urge to sigh. “I don’t know, Lois.” 

“Guess.” 

He turns his head into the general direction of her voice, and raises an eyebrow. “One, and I’m guessing it’s the middle one.” 

Lois gasps, offended. “No, asshole. It was three.” 

Caleb doesn't even try to hide his smirk as she softly slaps his bicep. “Can we go now?” 

“By all means-” There’s a gush of wind as Lois steps aside. “Course is all yours.” 

Caleb pulls up his compass and turns towards what should be the starting point of the trail. He takes a moment to let his scans do their work, looking over the ones he made just minutes ago. 

If this had been their regular training site, he would’ve been able to do this without any issue, but since he’s only been here once his scans are incomplete and lacking the accuracy needed for this task. 

This, of course, is not stopping him. 

He can just practically imagine the way Lois’s face is twisted into that smug expression; her eyes gleaming with confidence as she believes she’s right. 

Caleb is about to prove her wrong. 

Letting the virtual world build itself around him and now seeing nothing more than black background covered in white lines indicating where the actual objects are, he sets off running. 

The distance to the dock isn’t too far, and Caleb carefully keeps an eye on his speed, measuring how much further he has to run before the first jump. 

Twenty more steps. Caleb pulls up his latest scans, picturing the net above the water in front of him. 

Ten more steps. He has to be careful not to slip on the wet wood of the dock. 

Five more. 

Four more. 

Three. 

Two. 

He made a mistake. 

Where his scans show solid ground for his last step is in reality nothing but air, and Caleb is helpless against the gravity as his body tumbles forward. He has just enough time to let out a yelp before water flows into his mouth and closes above his head. 

He is quick to push down the slight panic that arises at being submerged without sight, and he manages to rip off the blindfold, kicking his legs to get above water again. 

As soon as his head meets the air, however, he wishes he’d just stayed down and drowned. 

“Oh my God!” Lois’s laughter is burning in his ears, and to Caleb’s horror she has her phone pulled out, camera pointed towards his sorry ass. 

“Delete that.” 

“No way!” Her words are barely more than gasps for air as she doubles over in her laughter. “You ran right into the water, oh my God this is perfect.” 

“I swear to God, Lois-” 

“What the hell is going on here?” 

A third voice interrupts their conversation, and just as Caleb thought things couldn’t get any worse, the form of an angry Captain walking towards them proves him wrong. 

The option to stop swimming and let himself drown pops up on his HUD, suddenly sounding very tempting. 

Allen throws one look at them; at Lois who is still dying of laughter and at Caleb who must look like a complete idiot in the water, before sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose. 

“Captain-” Caleb tries, but Allen only holds up his hand. 

“I don’t even want to know. Lois, please just go home.” 

Lois straightens up, pocking her phone before raising her hand in a mocking salute. “Yes, Captain.” She throws one last look at Caleb who is glaring daggers back, and she sticks out her tongue before picking up her bag. As she walks away to the cars Captain Allen walks closer to Caleb, making him want to disappear in the murky water. 

“Come on.” The Captain says, sticking out one hand to the embarrassed android. 

Realizing he can’t just sink to the bottom of the lake, Caleb accepts his Captain’s hand and lets himself be pulled up. As he stands on the wooden dock again, now soaking wet, Allen lets his eyes glide over the android, probably trying to figure out what has happened. Caleb decides to take this opportunity to look at Allen, if only not to think about the shame in his chest. 

The Captain is no longer wearing his uniform, but has changed into a simple grey t-shirt and some jeans, both doing nothing to hide the shapes that lie underneath. Sometimes Caleb swears he’s doing it on purpose, just to drive him crazy. 

Before he can get too lost in the view, however, Allen extends his hand, touching the wet scarf that’s still draped around Caleb’s neck. He raises an eyebrow in question. 

Caleb looks him in the eye. “I thought you didn’t want to know.” 

That makes Allen huff, and he steps back. “I don’t.” They start walking back to the path, away from the lake. “Do you have any spare clothes here?” 

Fuck, Caleb thinks. He doesn’t. He never bothers bringing any, since androids don’t sweat like humans do, and they’re training in their uniforms anyway, so spare clothes didn’t seem necessary. He says as much. 

“Alright, just- stay here.” Allen says. “Don’t want to get everything inside wet.” 

The Captain walks back to the building where some locker rooms are located. As he watches Allen walk away, Caleb wraps his arms around himself, shivering in the late afternoon wind. Androids don’t feel cold, but the water is uncomfortable as hell, and it only takes a few minutes before Caleb has had enough. 

He has to change anyway, he reasons, and starts pulling off his shirt. The water makes it stick uncomfortably to his skin, and Caleb is already making a list of ways to kill Lois, filing it away next to _ways to kill Connor._

He holds his shirt in front of him, tilting his head to the side as he tries to determine whether or not it’s ruined forever. It’s only at that point that he notices Allen has returned and is watching him, hands full of clothes. 

As their eyes lock, Allen suddenly starts walking towards him again, pretending as if he never stopped to stare. Caleb is suddenly very amused. 

“And you thought it was a good idea to undress outside because...?” Allen can control his voice all he wants; Caleb knows better, and he puts on his best innocent face, copied from Connor. 

“Why? Does it bother you, Captain?” 

Allen only rolls his eyes, shoving a towel into Caleb’s arms. “Get dressed.” He walks past the android, leaving the clothes on the ground. 

Caleb turns around to watch Allen walk to the parking lot, his bag on his back. He smirks, knowing he got to the man, and starts to dry himself off. 

It’s when he takes the clothes off the ground and starts to pull the hoodie over his head, he realizes something. 

These are Allen’s clothes. The hair and traces of DNA confirm it, and Caleb stands like that for a while, hugging the hoodie close to his chest. An odd sense of warmth and protection comes with the smell that’s so uniquely Allen, causing him to stand there for a while. 

Realizing what he’s doing, Caleb quickly shakes his head and continues to his pants. The sweatpants Allen left are slightly too large, but he manages to tie it tight enough to work. 

Allen didn’t leave any shoes, presenting Caleb with the choice of putting his own wet ones on again, or staying barefooted. 

Not wanting that uncomfortable feeling again, he wraps his wet clothes in a ball and picks up his shoes after hoisting his bag over his shoulder. He hopes whatever taxi arrives for him doesn’t mind getting some interior wet. 

He’s just about to order one as the parking lot comes into view. To his surprise, Allen is still there, leaning against the hood of his car, eyes closed as the low sun shines on his face. 

“What the hell are you still doing here?” 

Allen opens his eyes and stands up straight, facing the android as he walks towards him. “I’m waiting for you.” He says, as if it’s obvious. 

Caleb stops a few feet away from him, standing awkwardly on the empty parking spot with a ball of wet clothes in his hands. Not to mention his stupid hair is getting all messed up now that it’s drying. 

“Thanks.” He deadpans. “I didn’t jump in the lake again, if that’s what you’re worried about. You can go now.” 

Allen snorts and turns his head away for a moment before looking back. “And you were planning on taking a cab?” 

“Yes.” 

Allen shakes his head and starts walking to the driver side of the car. “Just get in.” 

Caleb doesn’t move. “What?” 

“Do I need to spell it out for you?” He leans his arms on the roof, looking over the car towards the android. “I’m giving you a ride, Caleb.” 

Trying not to let the swirl of emotions that suddenly decide to pop up take over, Caleb straightens up. “I don’t need a ride.” 

Allen only sighs and takes his hands away from the car, opening the door. “Alright.” He gets in. 

At the sound of the door slamming close, Caleb suddenly feels incredibly lonely, standing barefooted on a nearly empty parking lot, and the thought of Allen driving away and leaving him there makes him swallow his pride and walk forward. 

He doesn’t even have to knock on the window; it rolls down before he even gets there. He bends forward slightly to look inside, seeing Allen lazily turns his head towards him, one arm casually draped over the steering wheel. “Yes?” 

“Why would you want to give me a ride?” 

Allen chuckles and slightly shakes his head. “Because a few minutes ago you had your dumb as in a freezing lake. What kind of Captain would I be if I just let you standing here?” 

Caleb squints his eyes at him, considering his words. “You know I can just take a taxi.” 

Allen hums, looking forward again, the sun now throwing shades on his jawline. “Well,” He says. “You’re also not the worst company.” 

Granted, Caleb wasn’t expecting that. And going by the slight twists of Allen’s lip, the Captain knew that he wasn’t. Knowing that Allen is just trying to get to him, he opens the door and gets inside, tossing his ball of clothes on the backseat. 

As the door closes, he’s suddenly far more aware of the situation, making his thirium pump beat faster than usual. Of course, he doesn't allow his face to show this. 

“Good boy.” 

Caleb’s eyebrows shoot up and he whips his head to the side to face Allen, masking his face completely forgotten. Seeing the smirk on the man’s face as he drives away makes Caleb sink back in his chair, relaxing. 

“Asshole.” 

“Be nice.” Allen chuckles. “I can still kick you out.” 

“I thought I was good company?” 

Allen huffs. “I said you weren’t the worst. Don’t flatter yourself.” 

“I simply adapt to my environment.” 

“Did you just call me bad company?” 

“Yes.” 

Caleb keeps his face and tone blank, making his answer seem dead serious. It’s not like Allen didn’t deserve it. 

“Well if I am, I should probably drop you off quickly.” Allen pouts. “Is it still the same address?” 

Caleb’s thoughts wander off to his house. If it can be called that, really. He has taken residence in an abandoned building some time ago, one that wasn’t as badly destroyed as others. He has managed to fix it up quite nicely, but he would be lying if he said it wasn’t lonely. 

He knows that he can get a place in New Jericho if he wanted, but something about going there just feels wrong. Connor has also told him Lieutenant Anderson wouldn’t mind having another android on his couch, but seeing as the man literally shot him in the head, Caleb had passed on that offer. 

Besides, his new home is a huge upgrade from the charging stations at the DPD, so fuck everyone who has something to say about it. 

He confirms Allen’s question, making the man sigh. “Not that it’s any of my business, but you know you can get some other place to live, right? Like an actual house.” 

“You’re right.” Caleb says. “It is none of your business.” 

“Jesus, calm down.” Allen glances at him before looking back at the road. “All I’m saying is, it wouldn’t hurt to get a better place to stay.” 

“Like you have such a great place.” 

“That’s a little straightforward, don’t you think?” Allen says, choosing to interpret Caleb’s word in a different manner. “At least let me buy you dinner first.” 

At the Captain’s wink, Caleb rolls his eyes, turning his attention to the window instead, looking at the outside world that rushes by, hoping that he’ll be home soon. 

The car falls into a silence, and Caleb starts to think that Allen might leave him in peace for the rest of the trip. 

“So, why did you jump into the lake?” 

Caleb groans and drops his head to the window. 

This is going to be a long ride.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments give me life! <3


End file.
